Glasswing Butterfly, lives in South America
A butterfly with transparent wings is rare and beautiful. As delicate as finely blown glass, the presence of this rare tropical gem is used by rain forest ecologists as an indication of high habitat quality and its demise alerts them of ecological change.
Rivaling the refined beauty of a stained glass window, the translucent wings of the Glasswing butterfly shimmer in the sunlight like polished panes of turquoise, orange, green, and red.
Just beautiful. Did you take the pictures?
I WISH I had been lucky enough to see this in person. It was sent to me via email...
It's such a beautiful butterfly. Just amazing.. Almost doesn't look real.. although I know it is.
The only thing I have photographed so far -- and not that exciting , with clear wings is the snowberry clearwing moth..
It's almost like instantaneous camouflage.
We have been lucky enough to get a couple of rare stray clearwings in south Texas. They are truly breathtaking little butterflies. The links below are for the two new U.S. records for butterfly sightings in 2004 and 2005.
Have a look-see at our local South Texas NABA Chapter photographs:
Thick-tipped Greta
http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabast/morgane.html (Greta morgane)
Broad tipped clearwing (Pteronymia cotytto)
http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabast/cotytto.html
There is also a Monte Verde website in Costa Rica (I think) where they also raise these butterflies.
~ Cat
This message was edited Jul 18, 2007 5:54 PM
oh those are so beautiful
